This is interesting and perhaps not surprising. At times of high unemployment we are just happy to have our job. It may not be the best in

all ways and still, we’re working and bringing home a paycheck so life feels pretty good. When unemployment is at a low point it certainly make s us feel more secure in the position we have … confident that as long as we do our jobs and produce what is expected of us, we can be quite certain that we’re on fairly solid ground. Being confident and on solid ground, however, doesn’t say much about our being satisfied with what we’re are doing and the position that we hold. In fact, very often if we are honest with ourselves, we are plain and simply bored … tired … burned out. And the reason we stay put and settle for this amounts to our feeling stuck!

There are a number of things that can contribute to the glue that seems to have settled on the bottom of our feet. Perhaps some will hit home for you:

Lured by the money ~Of course the money we earn in a job is important. It provides for the lives we want to live and the lives we need to support.However, it can also have a blinding effect in that it tends to have us diminish and relegate other aspects of our work to the back burner. We can easily rationalize that … ‘the work itself isn’t that exciting or interesting but

look at the money I’m earning’. Eventually, we risk having the semi-weekly paycheck pale when we realize the unsatisfying work we are doing to receive it. Not feeling able to afford to move elsewhere is both a dilemma and a trap.

Staying put rather than the risk of having to learn and perform in a new job ~We may willingly admit to boredom in our current job but are we sure we are willing to do the learning that taking on a new role will require? What if we fail? Thinking that the risk isn’t worth the potential gain we would experience in moving to another position, we are inclined to stay where we are … and over time this becomes less gratifying and less satisfactory.

Failure to recognize that the current work is quickly becoming outdated ~We actually like our job and the work we do. We enjoy the camaraderie with our co-workers. We know that we are appreciated by ourboss and the company and thus, we have less inclination to change what we do. This becomes a real problem when the work we do is on the way to becoming extinct … made so by new innovations in technology, systems or products. Waiting until we have no choice makes the decision someone else’ s.

Not recognizing the importance of continuing education as key to our work ~In today’s business environment it would be highly unusual that change is not a constant aspect of it. If one becomes complacent and sees no need to keep up with work-related changes taking place around them, he/she risks watching others who remain the curious and interested students bypass them, their capabilities and advancement opportunities.

Not having a clear picture of what else one would/could do = a formula for stuck The current job isn’t too bad. In fact, there are aspects of it that one finds interesting and even rewarding. Yet the truth is that if it wasn’t this job what else would it be? Waiting for that answer to suddenly drop to our desktop probably isn’t going to happen. What can likely happen is one’s feeling of simply being stuck and the related frustration and unhappiness that accompanies that.

So maybe you have read these signs of being stuck and personally relate to them. And because staying in such a position has few overall positives, recognizing yourself as such opens the door to wondering what can be done and how to go about it. Ashira Prossack penned an article that appeared in Forbes that identifies things that can be done to throw off the chains of ‘stuck’. They include:

Get out of your comfort zone ~The reason you feel like you’re in a career rut has a lot to do with staying well within your comfort zone. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, in order to make a change often requires that one leaves the safety net that has been created. Rather than sitting and waiting for something to happen it means taking charge and making it happen.

Set a goal and create a game plan ~Generally speaking change takes place because there is a plan developed to achieve the goal. Not only does it create the road map to follow … it also provides a person with the motivation to follow it. With identified action items, a timeline and steps one needs to take and a willingness to be accountable, one has the ingredients to achieve that plan.

Take Risks ~Turning ones situation around often means taking risks. And although not always comfortable, in doing so you’ll be challenging yourself. This does tie to stepping out of your comfort zone and can also be a part of your game plan. The key here is to stretch yourself outside of the box you’ve been working in. There’s no harm in trying, and you never know how taking a risk can end up paying off.

Don’t go it alone ~While it’s ultimately on you to get yourself out of a rut, you can’t do it entirely alone. Get advice or just talk things over with a mentor, find a sponsor, attend networking events, talk to your friends. Every person you meet could potentially help you out of your rut. You never know who will be instrumental in helping you find your next opportunity, so don’t be shy. Be direct and ask for what you’re looking for.

Finding ourselves in a career rut is a pretty common occurrence to just about everyone at some point in time. What was once the most exciting job in the world can and often does become monotonous after a time. Doing the same job for too long can lead to feeling stuck there. The good news is that getting out of a career rut is rather easily achievable … just requiring that we put in a bit of work.
Mike Dorman

It is frequently said that never, in the past several decades has our country ever experienced the degree of political polarization than that which exists today. What used to be the ability to have civil conversations with friends and family about our different views and the reasons for them, has, for many, gone out the window. At family gatherings, talk about current politics is often forbidden. Getting together with friends who have a different leaning means avoiding such conversations in order to maintain the friendship. In more extreme cases, those who were friends for years are no longer able to spend time together through an apparent loss of respect or tolerance for that ‘other’ person’s viewpoint.

Every Monday morning we walk into work prepared to do the expected job we were hired to do. What so many have discovered is that with the varying and prevalent political beliefs of all co-workers, the increased polarization is unfortunately not left at the door. In fact, the questions we hear awaken in all the diverse perspectives that exist … unrelated to the actual work we perform and accomplish. Comments like these: Could you believe the Sunday news show and the biased viewpoint? Did you hear the lies that so and so told the attendees at her/his rally? Did you watch the debate’ and wasn’t it a joke? Too often we hear such questions and we can’t help but to make decisions about a co-worker based on their political beliefs rather than their skill, knowledge and/or contribution to the team’s effort.

To the extent that this is today’s reality … the new normal … and because this issue is raised with increased frequency with coaching clients, it warrants some exploration.The key questions become what are the negative impacts that such differences have on the workplace and the work to be done? Conversely, what might the benefits be to the organization due to the diversity existing among employees? Randstad, an employee solution organization conducted an in depth survey uncovering U.S. employees’ feelings about and experiences with political discussions in the workplace. The report also examines how an employer’s approach to political issues can influence employee engagement and retention.

“Our study shows the topic of politics itself is extremely divisive in the workplace, reflecting our country’s current polarized political climate,” said Randstad North America chief diversity and inclusion officer Audra Jenkins in a statement. “It seems there’s no escaping politics, even on supposedly neutral ground, and unfortunately this can contribute to feelings of alienation as well as deteriorating relationships in the workplace.”

Key Findings:

Some employees see the benefits of discussing politics at work, but the risk of negative consequences is high.

Differences in political viewpoints, whether expressed in person or online, can be alienating and damage workplace camaraderie.

Political viewpoints can drive employees to quit their jobs, or determine the employment opportunities they seek.

Workers are divided on whether employers should take a stance on political issues.

Politics matter more to millennials than other generations.

It becomes very evident that there are clearly some negatives that tend to arise when political opinions and the belief that we have the freedom to express them become workplace fodder. And yet there is the other side … that teams of people charged with working together to achieve the project or overall goal can get results that truly benefit from conversations that represent all sides of the approach. In this sense, it is very possible that today’s political discourse that is flowing more and more freely, is, in fact, making a good contribution.

The Harvard Business Review published a study conducted by a team of scientists that found there was a big cost in having a team of people charged with working together who vote just like all the others. They reached these conclusions in following political arguments that took place on Wikipedia:

The most effective teams fight about politics. Mixed teams of conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats,ended up writing way better Wikipedia pages than those written by teams that consisted largely of people who all agreed or had no strongly held position. In other words, fighting about politics led teams to do far better work.

Hiring both Democrats and Republicans helps weed out group think and broaden the knowledge of the team to find more creative solutions.

They insist that while political diversity can pay hefty dividends, in order to cash in leaders need to set the stage for a healthy exchange of ideas. Here are a few of their recommendations in brief –

One token Republican/Democrat does not a politically diverse team make.Translation: one token diversity hire tends to end poorly. True diversity demands a greater balance between different viewpoints.

Set clear expectations for the discussion from the get go.Translation: it probably pays to create a rule book for respectful conversations before you dig into meaty discussions and make sure there is a transparent process for handling violations of these rules. Talk about how you’ll talk before you talk.

Be upfront from the beginning about your commitment to diversity.Translation: be upfront about your commitment to political diversity and productive debate with those with whom you work so they can self-select into the challenges and rewards of this sort of workplace.

What extensive research concludes is that diversity in the workplace as related to one’s political persuasion, has clear

benefits to results achieved … provided it is done respectfully, with curiosity and genuine interest in understanding other perspectives. When this path is followed it can and does result in richer and more complete decisions and actions that are truly beneficial to the organization. Would it be great if such an approach could be followed when we are with our family and friends?Mike Dorman

Businesses and organizations of all types are known to create business plans at least annually. These are shared with various leaders, divisions and departments with all focused on achieving them. They are reviewed with regularity and hopefully, they are achieved. .

This is all good and the norm. However, the same approach definitely applies to individuals wanting to move up a ladder in their personal careers. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to get the same determination and focus. This becomes a missed opportunity. This is especially the case when we are in a time of low unemployment which provides individuals with a comfortable sense of job security. Feeling secure is what we all want and yet, what is overlooked is the opportunity that can accompany it. Such times are also the most ideal ones for us to

determine where we want to be in our jobs or careers at the end of a year. In other words, create our personal business plan around the goals we have. Such a plan allows us to actually look to the future and where we would like to go in order to enhance our career … including the added income this often represents. I experience more and more individuals actually thinking about this and creating their plan to achieve it. This is actually exciting and the right way to start.

Consider the advantages of making your plan. They include:

Providing someone with a sense of direction in terms of goals

Provides something on which we can continually focus as a measure to how we’re doing

Helps us to recognize obstacles and thus, the ability to make a needed change to stay our course

Provides the guidelines for our decision making as we progress through the year

Terrific! The plan is in place and unfortunately this is where progress stops and too often. The second KEY element of realizing the desired success in one’s plan is the execution of it. Execution is a concept easy to talk about however, more challenging to actually follow through on and therein lies a potential stumbling block. Once you convert your plan into specific actions and behaviors you have a plan you can manage and measure. Here are some attributes leading to successful execution:

Having a sharpened focus by informing us of what we need to do in order to successfully execute the plan.

Provides a roadmap of what we need to learn and master in order to enhance the competence our advancing will require.

Builds our passion for what we want to achieve and the associated enthusiasm for doing what is needed to what is needed.

Be warned. There are some real factors that tend to interfere with true progress and the achievement of our intended success. These include:

One’s personal resistance to change because it often takes us to a zone of discomfort. Whereas the status quo might make us feel more relaxed it does not move us in our desired direction. Giving into this becomes a big factor in personal plans being abandoned.

Feeling there is a lack of needed resources that will enable us to move upward in our planned direction. Giving into this feeling without exploring what’s possible and how to acquire what we need is to basically abandoned our personal plan and the related goal.

Experiencing the personal politics that can be pervasive in so many office environments can be enough to derail a personal growth and success plan. This is where our commitment to where we intend to go is so important so that we are willing and able to withstand the opinions and resistance of others around us.

Execution is essential to the equation of success. Just as a new year’s resolution requires a committed plan, the goals we have for our own success do as well. And yet, without the determination to execute in a specific and meaningful manner, our plans and the related success it can bring become nice ideas.

It’s now August … early in the second half of 2019. With 5 months remaining there is still adequate time to make serious progress in getting to where you want to personally be. Maybe you’ll take out your plan, dust if off and jump into full-fledged execution. That’s all it takes! Execute today and win tomorrow.
Mike Dorman

What some were fast to point out is that as wondrous as all of the technology is in terms of what it allows us to do and accomplish at a much greater rate of speed, we have given up something that is still seen as a very important aspect of organizational and company success. It’s called communication and connection. Obviously I needed to do some research that would give merit to this train of thought … or not. I did and I share with you what I learned … something that may be no surprise to you.

First, I will point to some of the positives that the ever-evolving creation of new, better and faster tech has brought to our work and lives:

The increased speed related to communication

The ability to hold ‘virtual’ meetings making for efficient use of time

Faster and easier access to needed information

Increased individual comfort given our ability to conduct most all business sitting at our desk

The mobility we gained given the ability to carry our ‘desks’ with us wherever we go and at all times day and night.

A shrinking of the world allowing people to be ‘together’ from anywhere at just about any time.

From the standpoint of business these attributes seem to be positives.

Efficiencies have been redefined.

Working ‘smart’ has taken on expanded meanings.

Accomplishing more in the course of a day is a benefit … at least by the heads of the organization, division or department.

The accessibility to all has grown well outside the boundaries of time in the office.

So far, so good. And it would be good until individuals began experiencing the adverse aspects of today’s technologically advanced and advancing work methods. Here are some of the ways people are beginning to feel the costs and pitfalls of living and working in such a world:

Reduced social interactionIf there is no longer the need to communicate in a face to face manner there is less opportunity to learn and further courtesies such as listening, tactful presentation and basic politeness. It’s hard to imagine that we will arrive at a place wherein business will not benefit from these skills.

Addiction to our tech toolsThe apparent inability of so many of us to engage with another in a business or personal environment without reaching for and/or responding to some text, call or email for any extended period of time has and does impact the nature of relationships.

The ‘isolationism’ that accompanies the addiction to technologyTo the extent that interaction with others adds potential depth and value to whatever we are working to do, this has become significantly diminished. Some speak of the increased sense of loneliness and stress … even while surrounded by others.

The impacted ability to concentrate and remain focused where neededWe feel the buzz when an email arrives, the ping with a new text message or the ring when we are receiving an incoming call. Regardless of what it is, in each case we feel compelled to be responsive … now. Whereas the form of communication is faster and even more efficient, getting our heads refocused on what we had been doing before we allowed the interruption is wasted time.

Hello speed … goodbye valuable non-verbal communicationBeing able to emphasize our communication using various facial expressions and body language is gone … going in both directions. What this has allowed is a misinterpretation of the message delivered because of what we no longer have access to.

The ability to hide behind a protective wall of ‘say anything in any way’If I can express myself in any manner without a concern or sensitivity to how I say something, a sense of decorum and acceptable expression is out the window. People who experience this speak of the very negative impact it has on the very relationships needed to be successful in the work being done with others.

The elimination of work time-frames thus allowing the workday to be 24/7The idea of work-life balance becomes an awareness of the past. Feeling the pressure to always be available as a requirement of the job impacts the time and focus we feel free to devote to other areas of our lives.

An article in the Deloitte Insights expressed it this way. “There is no question that digital and mobile technologies give … and they also take away. Getting the most from technology and people isn’t about simply demanding restraint. It’s about designing digital technologies that facilitate the cultivation of healthy habits of technology use, not addictive behavior. And it’s possible for leaders of organizations to play an active role in designing workplaces that encourage the adoption of healthy technology habits.

Technology may have physically freed us from our desks, but it has also eliminated natural breaks which would ordinarily take place during the workday. A research conducted by the American Psychological Association revealed that 53 percent of Americans work over the weekend, 52 percent work outside designated work hours, and 54 percent work even when sick. Flextime, typically viewed as a benefit of technology providing greater freedom, actually leads to more work hours. Without tangible interventions, there’s little reason to think this behavior will change anytime soon.”

Along with all of the positive and wondrous benefits that advancing technology has delivered have come varied impacts on its’ users that are revealing negative consequences. As organizations become more aware of this and as the users begin to

realize the negatives infiltrating other areas of their lives, controls are being put in place designed to bring a realistic and beneficial balance back to those who find themselves on ‘the other side’ and want to return to a life that provides time and opportunity for all of its’ aspects. Perhaps it’s time to take stock of your work environment and how it has changed you in this regard. It’s only a guess and yet raising the issue will probably be greeted with applause from others having the same concerning experience.Mike Dorman

About 3 or 4 years ago I wrote a blog about the impact that advancing technology and the various tools were having within the business world. Where it was particularly evident was in the multitude of meetings and the length of them th

at seemed to be more and more prevalent. Then, participants felt that …

They needed to respond to an email that was on a very important issue immediately

They saw this being away from their desk as a chance to catch up at the same time they were certain that they didn’t miss a thing going on or being said in the meeting they were in.

They had to excuse themselves from the meeting if the message they received absolutely needed an immediate response and required a telephone call … now

At that time what many noticed was that the management, department or team meeting that used to be 30 to 60 minutes in length had grown to be 2 or 3 times that. Then, so much time was spent waiting for important input from a participant who was busy doing work he or she deemed critical or important. At least it was seen as more so than whatever was being discussed in the meeting. Maybe you remember those days. Unfortunately, rather than things getting better, today, in 2019, the issue and related problems have only been amplified.

As to why this is happening there are a few contributing reasons.

The sophistication of the tools from smartphones to pads or laptops has increased and this has increased what information we can carry around with us. Therefore, and with the rationale that whatever has come before us is important and must have an immediate response, that’s what we do.

We have, unfortunately, become used to ‘these’ meetings going on and on and are actually taking much longer resulting in what many consider wasted time.

We are too often questioning why we have even been included in any particular meeting to begin with and therefore see our responding to calls, emails or texts as much more important.

When working with a client who is trying to become more productive in the time spent in the office, the issue of lengthy meetings is often way up on the list of problems over which they feel no or little control. And when they are in that meeting and watch others spend time on their phones or laptops, eventually they think that they too should be using the time to handle their own issues … and they do.

Obviously this becomes self-defeating on multiple levels … to the individual, co-workers, the company and potentially, even to the customer. And from organization to organization several things have been tried in order to regain control.

Some have banned the use of phones or laptops altogether through a ‘check it at the door’ approach. The problem encountered is that some of the very information needed to present or refer to during the meeting is no longer available in real time and that causes additional delays

Some have scheduled specific breaks to occur every i.e. 30 minutes to allow all to check their phones for messages and respond if necessary. Although ideally that seems like a good plan participants tend to abuse the scheduled break time and fail to return when scheduled and needed. This too, only serves to delay the meeting especially if the one missing in action has pertinent input for the rest of the attendees.

Others have simply asked those attending to ‘pl-e-e-ze’ refrain from looking at or responding to incoming calls or messages. It’s a nice request that requires very good personal discipline that some just aren’t motivated to exercise … again because what they are responding to is just more important in their view … personally and to the company.

Have no fear. This blog is not encouraging that organizations should simply give up and give in to what the wonders that technology has wrought. There actually are steps that can be taken that have the effect of regaining control while giving control … all for the good of the organization.

Kathleen Owens penned an article entitled “How To Get Employees To Plug In To Your Meeting And Not Their Devices” in which she offers ways that can change the pathway to greater achievement at less cost both in terms of time and money. She said that “When you bring your own device (BYOD) to a meeting, you’re not multitasking; you’re ignoring. It’s become hard to imagine a meeting in which all attendees simply listen–no smartphones, no tablets, and no laptops to distract. We’ve all had the desire to yank a device away from a distracted employee, or we’ve been guilty of staring at our own devices during meetings. The modern meeting is so full of people “multitasking” on smartphones or laptops that it’s easy to wonder why anyone attends them at all. She suggests:

Become more selective in the people invited and expected to attend the meeting or as Owens indicates, “some meetings deserve to go away”. Especially with the likes of emails, senders often load up the ‘send to’ line with anyone they believe should know about it. The problem is that this is interpreted as mandatory and thus many meetings have attendees that really aren’t directly related to the topic and, at most, should be informed of decisions made if that is seen as important. If you find yourself in such a meeting and it really doesn’t apply to you, taking care of other things via your phone or laptop seems like the best use of this otherwise wasteful time.It has been proven that face-to-face meetings produce better results. And, according to a recent LogMeIn report, 73% of workers are taking a laptop, smartphone, tablet or combination of these devices into in-person meetings. The problem is that the main justification for using laptops and smartphones in meetings doesn’t benefit the actual meeting. Rather the beneficiary is the person with the device at the expense of everyone else in the meeting.

It’s multitasking that the book should be thrown at. The problem isn’t necessarily pointed at meetings. Rather research has been shown that when we multitask our IQ falls 10% however our errors increase 50%! And BYOD can’t be blamed alone as there have always been distractions i.e. when people used to be called out of meetings to take a call.Talk about something we should ban, we can’t blame BYOD alone for this. We’ve always had distractions. As scientist and businessman Simon Ramo said in a Businessweek article, “Are cell phones in meetings any more or less distracting than people being called out to take phone calls?” Bottom line is that modern technology has increased the opportunity for distractions which are bad for productivity.

Build a better meeting.The best ways to keep meetings productive is to keep them short and focused and always have an end goal in mind. Don’t just print an agenda to hand out at the start of the meeting–upload the agenda to a shared file-server a day or two before the meeting. Ask people to collaborate on it, accessing the shared document to suggest additional top-line discussion items. By giving employees a say in the meeting’s structure and topics, they’ll feel more empowered to engage and influence the meeting’s outcome. Or, when starting a new project, you could hand out pens and notebooks to each person in the meeting, encouraging them to write not type, and to use a designated notebook for the project at hand.

Owens concludes that ”bringing our technology to meetings simply isn’t going away and neither are meetings. It is a leader’s job to run effective meetings, and sometimes that means encouraging a devices-off approach or actually incorporating device use into meetings. BYOD isn’t killing meetings, but new devices are giving distracted employees and poor management another weapon with which to beat the poor meeting to death.”

To the extent that you can take the lead in your organization that addresses the productive streamlining of your meetings I’m fairly confident that you will hear the loud and clear applause throughout the organization. It seems like a worthwhile endeavor!Mike Dorman